Energy conservation kit for household furnaces

ABSTRACT

A kit for converting presently used household or light commercial furnaces of the oil or gas type which inefficiently consume unnecessarily large quantities of fuel, to a more efficient mode of operation wherein smaller quantities of fuel are consumed. The kit comprises prefabricated components which can be easily attached to the furnace in such a way that fresh air is brought in from the outside to support the combustion process, and meet the needs of the draft diverter, rather than using already heated and/or humidified air as is done in presently existing systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to energy conservation devices and more particularly relates to the conversion of home or light commercial heating systems to more efficient operation with respect to the consumption of fossil fuel.

2. The Prior Art

Despite the energy crisis which presently confronts the world and our nation, there has been little if anything done to eliminate or improve the wasteful methods presently in use for heating dwelling houses, resulting in an unnecessarily extravagant consumption of fossil fuel which is already in short supply. While various types of furnaces have been proposed in the past, which allegedly result in more efficient operation, the real problem is to convert the already existing hundreds of thousands of furnaces to a more efficient operation. Typical of the various schemes proposed in the prior art are those set forth in the following patents:

U.S. Pat. Nos.

686,393 -- Dawson

1,180,691 -- Bower

1,579,384 -- Murray

1,752,663 -- Fagan

2,619,022 -- Hergenrother

2,752,816 -- Ryder

2,764,972 -- Ryder

2,788,943 -- Fauser, Jr.

3,064,638 -- Bauer

3,092,320 -- Powers

3,211,079 -- Carlson

Foreign Pat. Nos.

France -- 504,705

Great Britain -- 217,701

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal object of the present invention to convert presently existing home heating and light commercial systems employing fossil fuel to more efficient operation.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a kit for economically and expeditiously converting furnaces utilizing fossil fuel to a more efficient operation, without modifying the structure of the heating unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kit for converting heating systems employing fossil fuel to a more efficient operation and which kit is readily adaptable to several different types of heating systems.

The present invention achieves these and other objects by providing a kit which may be readily attached to a conventional furnace of the gas or oil type by enabling the furnace to utilize untreated outside air to support the combustion process and meet the air requirements of the draft diverter. In order for a fossil fuel furnace to function, combustion must occur by igniting a mixture of the fossil fuel (oil or gas) with air. In presently existing furnaces, both of the oil and gas type, the air which is utilized to support the combustion process and the air needed to supply the draft diverter is taken directly from the air within the home. This air, obviously, has already been previously heated and/or filtered and/or humidified. Once this air has been used, it is exhausted up the chimney to the outdoors and replaced within the structure by an infiltration of cold outside air which must again be heated, filtered and humidified.

It has been estimated by the heating industry that a fossil fuel furnace generally causes two and one-half to three air changes per hour to occur in the average dwelling. An air change has been defined as the replacement of the total volume of air, in cubic feet, contained within the dwelling. Thus, it can be seen that substantial waste occurs by reason of the necessity, for reheating, refiltering and rehumidifying cold air from the outside as each air change occurs.

In the present invention, an enclosure (or plenum) is provided to enclose the air intake openings of the furnace from the already processed household air and a conduit system is provided to bring in air directly from outside the dwelling to the plenum to provide the air requirements for both the combustion process and the draft diverter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the kit of the present invention applied to a gas or oil fired furnace.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the enclosure or plenum component of the kit.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a connection component of the kit.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the outside air intake component of the kit.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a booster fan assembly needed when duct pressure becomes too high.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a section of fixed or flexible air duct to be used with the kit.

FIG. 7 is an elevation of a slightly different version of the kit of the present invention applied to a furnace with no built-in draft diverter.

FIG. 8 is an elevation of a slightly different version of the kit of the present invention applied to a conversion type oil-burner furnace.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating another type of enclosure or plenum which can be supplied with the kit of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a section taken on the line 11--11 in FIG. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like components throughout the several figures thereof, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a conventional furnace 10 having a flue 11 and heating supply duct 12. The furnace 10 is of the modern type which includes an air inlet 13 to the combustion chamber and an air inlet 14 to the draft diverter. As is well known, the function of the draft diverter is to slow down the velocity of the hot flue exhaust gases and to prevent the pilot light's being turned out when air is forced down the chimney. As explained above, the purpose of the present invention is to supply air from outside the dwelling to the furnace through both the air inlets 13 and 14 rather than utilizing air which has already been heated, filtered and humidified. To this end, an enclosure or plenum 17, also shown in FIG. 2, is attached to furnace 10 by conventional fastening means such as sheet metal screws or the like in such a manner that air inlets 13 and 14 are completely enclosed and isolated from the air surrounding the furnace within the dwelling. Plenum 17 is provided with circular knockouts 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d (which in the FIG. 1 embodiment have already been removed) to permit the connection thereto of appropriate conduits for reasons which will become clear hereinafter. To insure an air-tight fit between the outer surface of furnace 10 and plenum 17, a gasket 29 may be provided.

Protruding from the opening left by the removal of knockout 24d, is a short conduit section 16 (also shown in FIG. 3) to which is connected the air duct 18 (also shown in FIG. 6).

Extending through wall 40 of the dwelling is air intake 21 supplied with insect screen 22 and in communication with the interior of plenum 17 via a short conduit section 34 and a section of flexible or rigid duct 18. Air intake 21 and its associated conduit section 34 are illustrated in more detail in FIG. 4 while flexible or fixed duct 18 is shown in FIG. 6. As can be seen, conduit section 34 is provided with a conventional flapper valve 23 in order to insure that air only passes in the direction shown in the arrows in FIG. 1.

If, due to the distance between furnace 10 and outside wall 40, the length of air duct 18 must be such that the resistance of air flow is greater than the capability of the furnace to draw in a sufficient volume of outside air, then a booster fan assembly 15 having a booster fan 19 would be installed and wired in a conventional manner into the electrical circuit of the furnace. In addition, a pressure-type switch 20 may be installed in the plenum area to sense a low supply of outside air to the furnace. Pressure-responsive switch 20 can be utilized to actuate booster fan 19 in response to a predetermined pressure condition and may be wired electrically in series with the thermostat in a well known and conventional manner.

It can thus be seen that in the FIG. 1 embodiment, when the kit components illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are assembled in the manner shown in FIG. 1, the air supply to the combustion chamber inlet 13 and to the draft diverter 14 is derived solely from outside the dwelling and no use whatever is made of the already heated, filtered and humidified air within the dwelling.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a slightly different kit adapted to the old style furnace having back draft damper 26 containing flapper valve 27 attached to flue 11a. This back draft damper operates in the same way and has the same purpose as the draft diverter described above in connection with the furnace illustrated in FIG. 1. In the FIG. 7 embodiment, two additional lengths of hose or duct are required. A first additional section of flexible hose 28 connects booster fan assembly 15 to the opening in the front of plenum 17a from which knockout 24d has been removed. The second additional length of flexible hose 41 connects fitting 16 with back draft damper 26. In this instance, plenum 17a may be somewhat smaller than plenum 17 illustrated in FIG. 1 since it need only cover inlet 13a to the combustion chamber.

Turning now to FIG. 8, there is shown conventional conversion type oil burner 30 having oil burner motor 31, flue 11b and heating duct 12b. In this instance, plenum 17b need only surround the oil burner motor 31, since this is the only area where air is drawn in for combustion. As in FIG. 7, flexible hose 41 is provided to communicate back draft damper 26 with plenum 17b.

Turning now to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, there is illustrated an alternative type of plenum for isolating furnace 10 from the air within the dwelling and for communicating combustion chamber inlet 13 and draft diverter 14 directly with the outside air. While the FIG. 9 embodiment is illustrated with a particular type of furnace, it should be realized that principles of this embodiment may be applied equally well to any of the other furnaces illustrated in FIGS. 7 or 8 with suitable modifications.

In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, a room-like enclosure 35 surrounds furnace 10 with suitable passageway therein for flue 11c, heating duct 12c, air return 32 and air duct 18 which communicates through wall 40 with air intake 21b. Enclosure 35 may be provided with access door 36 having handle 37 and hinges 38 to permit servicing of the furnace and filters. In order to insure the structural integrity of the enclosure, suitable reinforcing brackets 39 may be provided. Enclosure 35 may be constructed of fiber board or any other suitable insulating material and the various wall and sealing sections of enclosure 35 may be sold in kit form along with tubing 18 for ready assembly about furnace 10 or any of the other furnaces illustrated herein. Enclosure 35 may in certain cases, only partially surround the furnace, depending on space requirements and the like.

It should be realized that in all cases, the plenum or enclosure and the various ducts provided with the kit must be made of a heat insulating material. One such suitable material is sold by the Certain-Teed Products Corporation of Valley, Forge, Pa. under the Trademark "Ultra-duct". This same company manufactures a flexible duct product having an outer reinforced casing and an inner insulating lining, which would be suitable for flexible hose 18 and the other flexible conduits required in the kit.

It has been estimated that by applying the principles of the present invention to any of the conventional home heating furnaces, at least a one air change per hour savings can be realized. Taking a 1,000 square foot structure as an example, one air change equals 8,000 cubic feet per hour. Thus, a one air change per hour savings will result in 8,000 cubic feet per hour savings. It has been estimated that for the given example of a 1,000 square foot structure, the saving over a year will amount to 22,680 cubic feet of natural gas. For larger dwellings, the savings in natural gas will be greater in direct proportion to the size of the dwelling.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be realized that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the inventive concept. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined only by the claims appended hereinbelow. 

I claim:
 1. A kit for converting fossil fuel type heating furnaces disposed within a structure and having a combustion chamber air inlet and a draft diverter air inlet to more efficient operation with respect to fuel consumption comprising:(a) a plenum adapted to be attached to said furnace for sealing off said air inlets from the ambient air surrounding said furnace and dimensioned so as to seal off both said inlets; and (b) means for communicating the interior of said sealing off means with air outside said structure.
 2. The kit set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for communicating comprises at least one section of duct.
 3. The kit set forth in claim 2 further including air intake means adapted to be attached to said means for communicating and to be disposed outside said structure.
 4. The kit set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for sealing off comprises a prefabricated room-like structure for at least partially surrounding said furnace.
 5. The kit set forth in claim 4 wherein said room-like structure includes door means to gain access to said furnace for servicing.
 6. The kit set forth in claim 1 wherein said plenum is provided with at least one knockout section for permitting said means for communicating to be attached thereto in communication with the interior of said plenum.
 7. A kit for converting fossil fuel type heating furnaces disposed within a structure and having a combustion chamber air inlet and a draft diverter air inlet, to more efficient operation with respect to fuel consumption, comprising:(a) integral structural means having one open side, dimensioned so as to fit over both said air inlets and seal said air inlets from the ambient air surrounding said furnace; (b) means for attaching said structural means to said furnace in said sealing relationship; (c) at least one section of duct adapted to be attached at one end to said structural means in communication with the interior thereof; and (d) air intake means for bringing in air from outside said structure to the end of said section of duct removed from the end adapted to be attached to said structural means. 